As our astute ONE members may already know, the Farm Bill is making its way through Congress. The bill only shows up once every five years, and is in major need of reform.

The agricultural subsidies contained within the bill use taxpayer money to allow large farms to out compete small farmers by driving down prices. Only the largest 8% of farmers receive these subsidies, leaving small farmers the world over unable to compete.

This legislation has a particularly strong impact on poor farmers living in extreme poverty, who rely on farming as their sole source of income. However, its negative effects don’t stop there. The other 92% of American farmers also struggle to compete with large subsidized farms.

The Farm Bill has been around for many years, and to reform such a deeply rooted piece of legislation, we will need to get the attention of Congress, the media, and the American public.

As the bill moves in front of the House of Representatives, we are presented a rare chance to take action on this legislation. Please help spread the word about this opportunity by sending a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Your letters are a crucial part of the effort to reform the Farm Bill.

With your help, we can send a message to Congress that the American public does not embrace damaging subsidies that prevent small farmers across the world from producing and selling their goods.